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Family COTTIDAE

Sculpins

Compiler and date details

John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates & Douglass F. Hoese

Introduction

Members of the Cottidae are found primarily in the temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Approximately 275 species occur in the north Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and only two of the approximately 70 genera are found south of the equator (Nelson 2006). Nelson (1975, 1990) redescribed the two Australian species, both in Antipodocottus. The family has not been revised recently.

Sculpins are benthic and live in freshwater and marine habitats from shallow to deep water. Typically they are adorned with head spines, have thoracic pelvic fins with a reduced number of rays and distinct scales. Most species are less than 20 cm long, although one non-Australian species reaches 78 cm.

General References

Nelson, J.S. 1975. Records of a new form of the marine cottid fish Antipodocottus galatheae from the east coast of New Zealand.Records of the National Museum of New Zealand1(4): 80-86 figs 1-2